Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

So, I got a new N800 yesterday and had lots of fun installing apps, trying out the system, etc. I used a 1 GB SanDisk Mini SD card in the adapter, installed in the external slot to add some data files via USB (mp3, avi, mpg).

Along the way, I played back some of the media on the card, so I know that everything was working well. I also downloaded files from the internet directly to the card and successfully played them back.

After copying about 700k of files onto the card, I left it for a while and came back to find that the card was no longer accessible. It does not show up in File Manager, even after rebooting and reinserting. I tried it on 2 computers and it was not visible on those either.

This is a card that I have used in a WIndowsmobile PDA for a couple of years, so it was working before and could be mounted on desktop computers.

Any thoughts on what killed the card suddenly like this?

-- Aelam

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

The N800's latest firmware.

But don't fret, according to Nokia's official stance on the subject, you're delusional. It didn't happen.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Well, I did flash the latest image before I used it. I was kinda thinking that would be a good idea.

OK, I guess I can try again with about $20 worth of flash memory ...

-- Aelam

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Try to reformat your card in a camera, that may resurrect it. If not, it's time to look at this "lifetime warranty" most cards have.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Or N800's hardware killed your card. Vote here http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...ead.php?t=9706 and then fill a bug report here https://bugs.maemo.org/

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

I tried it in a card reader on 2 different computers. I don't have a camera that uses SD, only CF. I also put it in the PPC-6700 PDA. None of them recognized it to allow me to format.

Thanks for the suggestion.

-- Aelam

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Next time, try it without connecting your N800 via USB, i.e.: use a card reader; some claim it reduces the risc.

Then again, you're a bit of an a-typical case: most destroyed cards are of the SDHC type.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Actually, claiming that the N800's hardware killed the card, is a bit of a tautology: Of course it was killed by the hardware inside the N800, but that doesn't mean the hardware is at fault.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

I will try again with a card reader on that new card I will buy tomorrow. This is not an encouraging start with a new platform, but I am still optimistic (at this point) about the N800 for my intended usage. Time will tell ...

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Here's a link to the actual bugzilla report:

https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1204

-T.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

a-typical? All my destroyed cards (2 of them) were non-SDHC... all my SDHC cards (1) are still working.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

No need to file a new bug report as one already exists - Aelam should add a comment describing his experience (along with card manufacturer/model/spec) to bug #1204.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Thanks for clarifying. I will add the specifics. Hopefully, this will be my only bad memory card experience.

-- Aelam

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Borrow a camera from a friend, then.

The computer may resurect the card if you try fdisk (but probably not under windows). The reason why the card has been killed is that the partition table is corrupted.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

How can a critical bug be opened since April and Nokia (mmh 1 person actually) is still asking after 6 months
Did it happen while this, while that..?
Aren't they making extensive hardware stress test on THEIR side? Did they never reproduce the bug themselves?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I have the feeling they know the root cause but can't fix it. I am working in a hard/soft company with much less money but we tracked some very hard bugs down, have put logical analyzers, rechecked all vhdl codes, instrumented drivers,.. some bugs only appeared every 6 months, which seems not the case here. Our customers were legally threatening us.

This problem is giving really a bad image of these IT, I am scared about buying an external disk, which is a necessity... Until now I am very happy with the n800.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

many flash cards come with a lifetime warrenty. using a card in a N800 is not going to void the warrenty.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

I keep trying to stress that this is an issue in both slots, not just external. Please report bugs correctly (e.g., which slot was an issue, etc.), but don't relegate the bug to only one area.

I know that's not what this person is doing, but we must make sure that people know that both slots are problems.

-T.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Dang!

And thanks too! I was really close to giving in and installing the new firmware, but now: noohoooo!

All I really want it for is Flash 9, hoping that it'll allow me to watch the videos on this site:

http://www.tv-links.co.uk/

("Supercar" on my N800 would be soo kewl)

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Karel: You should not bother any more with the 26.8 firmware... it is getting old news soon... ;)

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

Yeah, yeah, we get it. You know but your'e not supposed to let on and if you did you would have to kill us.

Enough already.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

What? Nokia found new bugs to torment us with?

And how exactly are they going to fix the SDHC bug if they don't even recognize its existence?

I'm sorry, but this whole episode has really downed my expectancies of Nokia trying to be a non-evil company. Anyway, it's nearly october, and the OpenMoko-based FIC1973 MkII should be out real soon now, if you get my drift...

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

In actuality, Nokia has recognized the bug... They just haven't been able to reproduce it. That's why everyone's participation in the bug report is very necessary. Log your experiences and hope that one of ours will help them figure it out. They are working on it, though.

Tim

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

I borrowed a camera and it was not able to mount/locate the card either. So, I bought a new card today and have submitted a warranty service request on the old one to Sandisk. This card has a 5-year warranty, so there's a chance it will get replaced.

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

There is already an open bug for this issue (see bug 1204). Not sure who is working on it, but there are 102 entries in the bug already.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of battery life do you get with your N800? (yes this is on topic, as my son and I have N800's his gets poor battery life, but doesn't eat cards. Mine gets great battery life, but eats cards)

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

For what it's worth, Sandisk will swap the dead 1 GB card for another one under the 5-year warranty. I hope the replacement lasts more than a few hours in the N800!

-- Aelam

Re: Hello N800 - Goodbye Memory Card!
 

I have the same issue, n800 corrupted my 4gb sd in internal sd slot running wget for a 650mb file, with swap on the same card. :( The card cannot detected by any device then.